The Portland daily press., 1887-03-16
AKINc MEMS CLOTHES.
Where Women DO the Work at
= Starvation Wages.

On Probably no industry in Cincinnati gives
Employment to as many people as does the
manufacture Of mems clothing, and the sim
gular fact is this work is done almost en-
tirely by women and girls.
A reporter was told this morning by one
of the leading wholesale clothing merchants
in the city that no less than 1900 women Of L
Cincinnati, Covington and Newport are given
employment by the manufacturers of this
eitv Ten thousand of the 15,0OU -,-,S-0 80
Cincinnati They are Of different Waiks h ~
life. and some do one kind OF WORK ., anu 90 So ~
another. Some Of those that nave s oeea s.apted
or fortunate and economical nave ssai.J ~
little factories OF their own. frOpaoiy tno
largest of these is the yest-making estaphsn-
ment of Miss Cassidy, on Plum street. DC
tween Third and Fourth. She mas ohe "
the most extensive shops in the country, ana
employs from forty to fifty girls. Sne turns
ont from 200 to $50 vests day, which Is
| most remarkable showing; c.,s..,,,,, ,,,ooo
| The reporter called at Miss Cassidy place
This morning, and found two rooms fuil OF
| bright-iooking girls as busy as nees. Eacn In
| one was provided with machlne OF laR
board. and their hands were lying Win WIZ,
cloth, iron or needle. She makes l,a snJ inoJ tha
finest and best, and still others make ene
| common. .,. - o.,
How are you getting along this year =
| asked the reporter. ,.r. ..oor than
ever. and the truth is | get less Ior II; a,9 dr9
nrices are lower this year than ever. uou Ooa
! | knowrSyhy but they cut us down eNelyr eSa ga
SON When L first began 70 hlre glris FL ~ uae na
NOT work myself, but now II dldh wotA !ls % =
hard As any of them could not keep going :
week. and as it Is / am thinking Oh shuItanS
dawn every day, for / actually have hard
time to make enough to live on ana pay my
helpPy5n pPyn.. or,oes do Won get this season."
II do the medium class work, and get Iol
+ it all the way from S1.5O dozen 20 20 cent !
i | aniece hut i know of women VINO make
4 eheaper duality that only get 81 dozen, OF
e 81 cents apiece. For the vest formerly go
4 | 30 cents apiece / now get but 10 cents n
I. - "How long have you been az the pusi
s. ness2" -.
O. this year than any time within that period;
n do you know Of anybody that Is not max
y | int a living at the business .
go sYes-any number Of them scarcely live
no. | ceuN not myself. il l only worked myself
in You Sc, there are any amount OF marie
loe women indlgirls that take the Work 70 thel
&c, homes ana do it on small scale. Some .
S"i them are atually starving. Why, have n
- | hesitation n saying that the present price
OK are a robbery We work more hours tina
~ ~ any other elasl of labOrers and Tor less pa
.no .a Why, II the manufacturers were 10 emplc
ltes ';th men for this wors they wodld be Obliged
,Isn Isn pay for exactly tn same service two or thr
ing times as much as thy do now."i
APP What class Of woasn are at this busine
ana mostly?'
''Women and girls that have been left
mai RELY upon their own resources and are dete
1lo- mined to make an honest living
Oto How do the prices here compare WI
ear what is paid in other clties?'
tu- much more Is paid st. Louis, Chlca
and New York. Those are the only plaeei
pic know anything about.